PATIENTS are calling for improvements in hygiene at five hospitals across the region after the release of a report ranking levels of cleanliness.

Hospitals in Oldham, North Manchester, Bury, Salford and South Manchester have been ranked as having only "acceptable" environments by an inspection team made up of members of the public, patients and staff.

This places them in the bottom third of trusts in new ratings announced today by the National Patient Safety Agency.

Bolton and Christie Hospital were scored as "excellent" meaning they exceeded required standards and the inspectors' expectations.

You can see a full list of local hospitals below.

Patients' leaders called on bosses of poorer-performing trusts to take note of the scores and learn from their successful neighbours.

Peter Milnes, of Trafford Healthcare Patient and Public Involvement Forum said: "These ratings look into crucial aspects of our hospitals, they literally could mean the difference between life and death, when it comes to hospital cleanliness and infection rates.

"It is reassuring that all trusts scored `acceptable' or better but there clearly is variation within the region and I would hope that trusts at the bottom end of the scale would look about them at trusts who have managed to achieve the highest standards."

A spokesman for the Patients' Association said: "It is crucial for patients' recovery that hospitals are clean and provide nutritious meals.

"The number one concern for patients who call our hotline is hospital infections - we need more reassurance they are being tackled effectively."

Food

The Patient Environment Action Teams assessments were introduced in 2000.

Under the programme, every in-patient healthcare facility in England with more than 10 beds is assessed yearly for cleanliness and hospital food.

Inspectors can award "poor" and "unacceptable" ratings, but nowhere in Greater Manchester was given these.

Trusts are also judged on patients' meals and all organisations in Greater Manchester scored "good" or "excellent" in this ranking.

A spokeswoman for South Manchester Hospitals Trust, which runs Wythenshawe, said: "We received an overall score of 4 out of a maximum 5 in this assessment.

"Standards of cleanliness, both generally and in toilet and bathroom areas were predominantly rated as either 4 or 5.

"The Trust received lower scores on quality of some seating and soft furnishings, patient shared equipment, storage on some wards and manning of information desks. These areas are being reviewed.

"Cleanliness remains a top priority for the Trust, and it fully satisfied the standards for provision of alcohol hand gel and washbasins at patient bedsides."

Pam Miller, associate director of facilities for Pennine Acute Trust, which runs North Manchester General, Oldham General, Fairfield Hospital, in Bury and Rochdale Infirmary, said: "The Trust's staff work hard to ensure that when patients come into any of our hospital, the environment they are treated in is clean, tidy, and in a good condition and the food they eat is of a high standard."

Heather Edwards at Bolton said: "We are delighted about the news which is good reassurance for our patients and credit to the hard work of our staff."